McCain plays military hero card

John McCain proves again he can't be trusted to do what he says and that he has one hell of a temper!

McCain has said on numerous occasions that he will not play the "military card" in his race for the presidency.

McCain plays the military card every chance he gets.


Senator Jim Webb (D-Va.), proposed a bill expanding veteran's education benefits which was passed overwhelmingly by the United States Senate, with 25 Republicans breaking ranks with both Bush and McCain to vote for the bill. With good reason. As Senator Webb (a military man himself) said: "This is taking care of the people who have taken care of us."

McCain was not present for the vote as he decided it was more important to campaign in California and attend a fundraiser sponsored by the owner of the San Diego Chargers, Alex Spanos.

Both Senators Clinton and Obama were present and voted for the bill. Senator Obama had this to say about McCain's noticeable absence: "I respect Senator John McCain's service to our country. But I can't understand why he would line up behind the president in opposition to this G.I. Bill. I can't believe why he believes it is too generous to our veterans."

Actually, I'm pretty sure that Obama knows very well the reasons for McCain's non-vote. For one thing, McCain is playing to the ultra right, who have proven over and over again that in spite of their war-colored rhetoric, when the fit hits the shan, they fail to provide for those "troops" they praise as they drive about in their red, white and blue Hummers.

Another reason why McCain missed this vote as if he didn't care, is that he doesn't care. He's an elitist, no matter how much he likes to pretend to be a "good ol' boy." His daddy was the admiral in charge of just about everything afloat in the Vietnam days. He's always been part of that bunch that drink hard and play hard with ne'er a worry about who's going to pay the bill. Then, when he chucked his first wife, Carol, who turned up overweight and crippled when he got back from Vietnam, and married dear Cindy, his social/financial standing took another giant step up.

McCain can posture all he wants, but he hasn't a clue about the world of a swabbie aboard a U.S. Naval ship, nor would he understand the first thing as to what a grunt goes through on the ground in Iraq or Afghanistan.


Here's how McCain responded to Senator Obama's criticism of his non-vote:

"I take a backseat to no one in my affection, respect and devotion to veterans. And I will not accept from Senator Obama, who did not feel it was his responsibility to serve our country in uniform, any lectures on my regard for those who did.

"It is typical, but no less offensive that Senator Obama uses the Senate floor to take cheap shots at an opponent and easy advantage of an issue he has less than zero understanding of."


There are several things to say about that. One is that here McCain exhibits his terrible temper and tongue, which, according to those who know him and have felt his wrath, is legendary. How many people, other than Dick Cheney, have told colleagues "F... you!" in a public venue? McCain is one.

Secondly, note that in his criticism of Obama, McCain falls back on the tried and true Republican response to criticism: Tell a lie, then repeat the lie over and over again with a great deal of personal angst and pretty soon the people, including the MSM, will believe you.

The truth is clear. McCain did actually, truly and really take a back seat to a great number of people in his "affection, respect and devotion" to veterans. He took a back seat to all those who got to the Senate floor and voted to give our veterans a small piece of what they deserve!

McCain also slammed Obama for not serving in uniform, as if that is the be all and end all of service to one's country. There are many ways to serve one's country. Just wearing the uniform does not automatically confer "sainthood" or "hero" status on anyone, including Mr. McCain! The U.S. military has been blemished with a number of criminal types wearing "uniforms" down through the years. Consider George W. Bush who ran and hid when he was called to duty, and the felon, Oliver North, who thought it proper to lie and cheat as a U.S. Marine.

Finally, McCain took a really cheap shot at Obama by saying that Obama has "zero understanding" of the veteran's issue. How would McCain know that? Can one not understand the plight of our fighting men and women and the needs of our fighting men and women without being a haggard "hero" or former resident of the Hanoi Hilton? Does getting shot down, beat up, tortured, and then giving the enemy the information they want to know confer special knowledge about veteran's issues?


So, McCain plays the "military card" again! He also blows his stack, again! And that leads him to excoriate a fellow Senator who rightly chastised him for blowing off the veterans in favor of fundraising hooplahs sponsored by the rich and powerful in Southern California.

And this guy wants to be prezident? Good God, eight years of one of these bozos is too much! We won't survive so much as a year of a man like McCain.